Apparatus for cutting channels in the earth



AU- 19 1930.-' J. l.. RICH Y'1,773,407

` APPARATUS FOR 4CUTTING CHANNELS IN THE EARTH Filed April 19, 1927 Lig- TAV gmf @iz/gi i A BY d'0 extracting' v Patented ug. 19, 193() Y UNIT; M

ansatz JOHN L, nien, or OTTAWA, Kansas APPARATUSFOR ou-r'rfne CHANNELS 1N THE nnn'rn Appuation fired april 19,

ding application (Serial No. er 5, 1926) of'vvhichthis application is a continuation in part, I have disclosed an improved process and means .for petroleum from underground strata, which have not been quite exhausted7 byV the' more common system of .wells and pumpsy employed in the recovery ofhydrocarbons. In accordance with the invention Al5' therein disclosed, drainage channels are formed throughthe oil-bearing strata. between shafts or working tunnels, by boring drill 'holes between the lshafts or working, tunnels, threading cutting vropesl through such drill hole's and cutting drainage channels therewith in the oil-bearin-g-stratuml.-

According tothe presentinvention, drainagebhannels are cut lthrfmghl oil'-bearingv .strata from a single shaft or working tunnel. IIeles are bored, preferably jus-t above the ,oil-bearing stratum, laterally awayf'fr'om ythe lshaft or 'working tunnel, after which the drainage vchannels lare cut down fromfthese holes through thev oilbearing Vstratum by'a lrevolving means made to exert an abrasive,

or wearing, a'ction on the stratum.

My present invention alsocontemplates an improved petroleum mining system. The aforementioned drainage channels are eut laterally, from a vsingle'. shaft or wor'lzing'tunnel.r` Agi-ven' project may,

however, have l Aa plurality o'f such shaftsfrem each o'fjwhicljifa plurality of lateral drainage channels are cut. l lIii-this way the drainage channels mayorv n may not be made to intersect eneanothe-r.

Inf the case kof the userof work-ing tunnels-,za plu-railitL f lateral drainagefchannels may 'be cut su stantially parallel to `one another through the'oilfbearingstrata: Y F Thisinvention also contemplates the provision offa method and apparatus for sealing the entraii'ce tothe' drainage channels in ,Y such manner as to prevent thev freelescape 'intofthe shafts or working tunnels of -hydrocarbongas'es and vapors formed therein CFI dur-

'the pit be s 19e?. `serial No. leases.

ing` the cutting'operation. This is done to prevent eXpl ventilation of the'shafts and tunnels, Vand also to recover thegases and vapors. f

In accordance with the present invention, a shaft may be'run down toor4 just above an oil-bearing stratumwhich it'is desired to. mine in order to recover the valuable hydrocarbone. Thisshaft is large .enough topermit Workmen to descend and work in the same. A pit, of somewhat smaller cross-dimension than theA shaft, mayv then besunk down through the( oil-.bearing stratum. A lateral hole is next bored through .or above the stratum by any kwelllrnown method. An abrasive-cutting means, such as a pipe lil e member 'having an abrasiveouter covering, ispushed intol the bored hole. This cutting member is in turn connected with operating means littingginto the mouth of the pit, rThis operating means .comprises a `movable platlform'adaptedxtobe movedup and downthe pit on screws, and along fixed` posts which allow for a slidingl action. The cutting. member within the. bored lhole is operated from a ysourcecf power located at a con-. venient distance."V 'This vpoweris preferably relayedft'o theoperating means in the pitby means'r of a' belt andp'pulleyarrangement. Astheeutting lmember is madev to revolve itr gradually grinds or jeats its Way down throughthe oil-bearing stratum to forma draina, fzel channeLL No' @additional downward force is applied to the abrasive-cutting member Vother than ythat supplied` by its own weight. That is to say, is allowed to liefreely. within the channel as it"i sfmade to revolve. As the oil` drains from themchannelsr into the bottom ofthe pit, it may` be continuously drawnfto the surface'above. e Itis Apreferred that the entranceftothe drainagechannel and ealed to; prevent the free escape of gases and vapors from tlievoil-bearing stratum intojthe shaft.

.l The aforementioneeha d other, r features of my `invention `willy be betterlunderstood by .reference to the accompanyingdrawings, taken' inr conjunction with :the following descriptiomzin which:V i

or periodically withosions and' fires, to facilitate the. cutting member Fig. 1 is a conventional cross-section in part of oil-bearing and adjacent strata illustrating an arrangement for practicing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section in part on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic ground plan showing one arrangement of shafts, working tunnel, and drainage channels;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic ground plan showing a modified arrangement of a shaft and drainage channels;

Fig. 5 is a plan section of apparatus employed in the shaft or pit to cut the drainage channels;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section of oil-bearing and adjacent strata showing the drainage channel cutting apparatus and means for closing the shaft against escape of gases and vapors;

Fig. 7 is a cross-section of a means adapted to give the revolving abrasive action necessaryto cut the drainage channels; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse section in part on the line 8 8 of Fig. 7. A sha-ft or tunnel 10 entends down through the upper strata of earth l1 to the oil-bearing stratum 12. A pit 13, of somewhat smaller cross-dimension than that of the shaft or tunnel, extends from the bottom of the shaft or tunnel through the oil-bearing stratum. This pit is sufficiently large to contain the platform 11i in its upward and downward movements.

The mechanism for operating' the abrasivecutting means rests upon the platform (seeV Fig. 5 for details). This mechanism consists of a hollow shaft 15 resting in the bearings 16 and 17 attached to the platform. A pulleysheave 18, appropriately attached to the shaft, is connected to a source of power (not shown) by means of the belt or rope'19. The source of power may be any suitable engine, preferably located close by. .An engine operated by compressed air, and located in the shaft or tunnel, would serve the purpose very well. Particularly in the case of deepshafts, it is preferred not to have the engine located on the outside surface because of its inconvenience and loss of eliiciency in transmission of power to the pit below. It is alsoV advisable to have the bearings-of the thrust type to counteract any tendency ofthe abrasive-cutting means to push toward or awayrfrom the platform.

The platform is kept in a straight up and down line of movement by means of the four supporting posts 20, 2,1, 22 and 23 which rest within the pit. In order to make thesliding action of the platform up and down the sides of these posts more easy, lugs 211, w25, 26 and 27 are attached tothe platform, slidably adjacent tothe supporting posts respectively. An additional supporting post-member '28 I may be provided within'the pit, opposite to the side into which the channel is to be cut, to counteract any thrust tendency of the platform in that direction when the abrasive-cutting means are put into operation.

The platform and its load are supported within the pit by means of the screws 29 and 30 which extend down through the pit. These screws operate within the threaded shoulders 31 and 32 attached to the platform,-so that when the screws are turned, the platform can be moved up or down as desired.

The shaft has a connection 33 at one end thereof suitable for making connection with the abrasive-cutting means 34. The other end of the shaft is connected to a flexible conduit 35, such as a hose, by means of a swivel.

In order to seal the pit in such manner as to avoid the free escape ofgases and vapors from the oil-bearing stratum and pit to the shaft or tunnel, a sealing member 36 is provided at the mouth of the pit for closing the same (see Fig. 6 for details). This member is provided with the necessary openings for (l) the pipes 37 which reach to the bottom of the pit for withdrawing the liquid hydro` carbons drained to the same; (2) the water pipe 38, joined to the flexible conduit connected to the end of the shaft (3) the screws extending through the platform to the bottom of the pit; and (t) the pipe 39 for withdrawing the gases and vapors accumulating in the pit and t-he oil-bearing stratum.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a preferred form of abrasive-cutting means. The main member is made up of segments of suitable length which can be attached to onev another in any ap- .propriate manner, such as by screwing into one another. This member or rod has a hollow opening l0 extending throughout the length of the same for the passage of liuid mediums. An abrasive outer covering 41, fitting tightly upon the inner cylindrical sleeve 42, fits securely about the main portion of the member'. In order that the abrasive sleeve may not. slide upon the member, it is preferred that the member be provided with a recessed portion 43, which is adapted to Contain the shoulder 44 forming a part of the cylindrical sleeve.

In Figs. 3 and are shown systems Vof oil mining according to the present invention. Fig. 3 shows-a tunnel extending above the oil-bearing stratum. A plurality of pits 45, 46, 47, 48, 49 Vand 50 are sunk at intervals alo-ng the bottom of the tunnel. hannels may thenV b e cut laterally from these pits in such manner that all of them are substantially parallel or in alignment with one another.

` A plurality of such tunnels maybe dug in a given project, all of them beingY parallel or in alignment with one another; or., indeed, they may be made to intersect. The same may of course be true of the channels.

VFig.l 4; shows a modified mining system according to which lateral channels are cut loo lll)

lies freely in the thiough the oil-bearing stratum from a sin-v gle shaft and pit 51 substantially perpendicular to one another. rThis is the' preferred sys"Y tem of operation when working only from a single shaft and pit. However, as in the tunnel system just described, a plurality of such single shafts may be' dug in a given project. The channels may be parallel, perpendicular, or in alignment with one another, or, indeed, they may be made to intersect. Y

vThe operation of the above described apparatus is as follows:

After the shaft or tunnel 1() has been dug (Fig. 1) and the pit 13 has been sunlr in theA bottom thereof, a hole 52 (Fig. 2) is bored through or ust above the oil-bearing'stratum in any well known manner. cutting inea-ns 34 is then pushed into this bored hole. This is accomplished by such as indicated. After a sutlicient length of abrasive-cutting means have been inserted into the hole, the near end thereof is attached to the shaft 15 by means of the connection The pulley-sheave 18 is setin motion by means of the rope or belt 19 connected to an engine (not shown). As the abrasive-cutting means 34 is rotated, it gradually cuts or eats its way down through the oil-bearing stratum ber should cut too deep next to the pit, theY platform can be held in a stationary position until the extreme end of the member has cut down to a corresponding depth; or, if the reverse'condition obtains-that is, the member i has cut too deep at its eXtreme end, the platform is lowered into the pit more rapidly,

As the channel is cut through the oil-bearing stratum, the platform 14 is gradually lowered. This is accomplished by appropriately turning the screws 29 and 3() from the shaft or tunnel. nits upward and downward movements, the platform slides along the guide posts 20, 21, 22 and 23. The'oil ,and other yliquids employed are drained to the pit 13, from which they are withdrawn to the surface byvmeans ofthe pipes Insteadof making use of an abrasive sleeve 41, resort may be had to passing a granular K abrasive material through the hollow opening 4() yin a liquid vehicle, such as water. The abrasive material, together with the liquid carrier,`iinds its way to the outer and extreme end of the abrasivacutting member 34, after n which it iiows into the channel and back to- 1 ward the pit. As the' member 34 revolves, it

The abrasive placing. segment on segment, somewhat similar to the well known procedure of boring lateral holes Vbe removed as just indicated.r y

'own Weight.

pushesfth'e abrasive -grani'ila-r material bertween itselfandl tliebottoni ofthe channel.

An abrasiveecutting action is thereupon set up Awhich gradually cuts' oreats down iiitofthe @listening stra-tuin. Newfgranular abrasive material, together' with its liquid carrier, is continuously, or atxfrequent rkintervals, fed

Jthrough the center" of the cutting member, so

that new and effective abrasive materialis -c'on'stantlyadded beneath the revolving inem-V ber. nIn this "manner, the channel may be. finally cut through the yentire oil-bearing stratum. Of course, it is apparent that the abrasive sleeve 41- might also be usedin conjunction with the use of granular abrasive material applied as just indicated.

The powdered grindings obtained in cut-- ting a channel are washed back into the bottoni of the pit. This is accomplished by forcing a liquid medium, such as Water or oil,y throughr the pipe 38, the flexible conduit 35, the hollow shaft and the hole 40 within the revolving member 34. `This liquid makes its exit at the eXtreme Lend of the member 34, and gradually flowsb'ack through the channel, picking up the grindings, and is ultimately deposited'in the bottom of the pit. i

pit from whichV they are drawn to the surface. On the other-hand, if the system of miningillustrated in Fig. 4 is followed, a plurality of channels are'cut through the oilbearing stratum from but one pit in each l shaft. The liquid petroleum and water grad# ually gathers in the pit 51 from which it may To avoid free escapeof the gases and vaf pors into the shaftor tunnel, the seal 36 is advantageously placed over the mouth of the pit in such manner as to close the pit while at the Sametime sealing the shaft or tunnel from Athe oil-bearing stratum. Any

gases or vapors thatvaccumulate below this (seal, in the pit and channels, are appropriate- 1 ly withdrawn through the escape conduit 39.

I claim: 1. Animproved` apparatus for i cutting drainage channels through an yoil-bearing stratum comprising .an elongated abrasive member adaptedv to lie lengthwise of the channel to becut, means for revolving said Vmember around its longitudinal axis, the'.V

ratio ,of` the diameter to the length of said member being such that `it rests substantially freely inthe channel and exerts no down.-`

ward force othery than that supplied by its 2. An improved apparatus for cutting drainage channels through `an oil-bearing stratum comprising ari-elongated abrasive 1 member adapted to,v lie lengthwise of the Iso channel to be out, said member being hollow and provided with means for flowing a medium therethrough and out of its far end, means for revolving said member around its longitudinal axis, the ratio of the diameter to the length of sai-d member being such that it rrests substantially freely in the Channel and exerts no downward force other than that supplied by its own weight.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOHN L. RICH. 

